


Hollow Circus

by sexuallyfrustratedseamonster



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Circus, F/F, F/M, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-09 01:18:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8870146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sexuallyfrustratedseamonster/pseuds/sexuallyfrustratedseamonster
Summary: Every year, they come and they go. The tent appears almost overnight. A troupe of performers each with their own unique charms and abilities capture the audience, and they never quite leave the same. The performers steal the souls of their visitors, leaving an empty emotionless husk behind to wander back to their meaningless lives. The Ringmaster, Xemnas keeps a tight grip on the Circus and it's long traditions of soul stealing. That is until Aqua buys a ticket to the show. Her soul is the brightest they have ever seen, and Larxene can't bring herself to take it. That single act, causes Xemnas' secrets to unravel, and the dark intentions of the Circus are revealed. How long can they hide Aqua from the Ringmaster? And what would the reward be for turning such a soul in?





	1. Chapter 1

She shifted her position in the slightly worn chair she sat in, crossing her legs lazily. She stared into the half empty mug held loosely in one hand, it's contents beginning to cool. The color of the kitchen table didn't match the walls, or anything else in the kitchen for that matter. It oddly stood out to her. She hated the way the light from the morning sun made a terrible glare off the wall she sat against. A soft cry caused her to perk up a little, losing her strange train of thought. Fur brushed against her ankle, the small cry became a bit more urgent.

"Aw," She spoke, running a fingertip on top of the small feline's head. She gave a small nod, rising from her chair. Her face scrunched slightly as she reached down into the near empty bag of cat food for him. She let a small handful drop into a blue plastic bowl, The word 'Radi' had been affectionately written across the side. She set the bowl down with a soft clatter, hearing the lock shift on the front door. A soft smile played on her lips, hearing the excited jingle of keys. A voice called out to her. Larxene resumed her place at the table, resting her chin on her hand. A girl sat opposite of her now, sitting backwards in a chair, resting her head on her arms. Just talking away. Larxene's gaze softened. She wouldn't admit it to many, but she loved to listen to her talk. She'd just listen for hours. Her eyes lit up when she spoke, and she often enunciated with her hands.

Larxene nodded every so often. Her eyes fell closed for a moment, perfectly content. Her eyes widened at the sudden change in light. She remembered, it was early. It was early because she was just complaining to herself about the sun, right? She glanced sideways out the window. It was dark. Had she been sitting for that long? The chair across from her sat vacant, a strange silence loomed over the room.

She stood, panic began to wash over her. Her voice shook a little when she called for the cat. She could hear the faint Jingling of his collar, causing her to listen harder. She could hear strange laughter. Deep laughter. It sent a shiver up her spine. The blonde turned the corner in time to see a too familiar whip-like weapons make it's way out of the other girl's sternum. Her stomach sank, the sound of bones snapping filled the room. The girl's body fell to the floor in a heap.

Larxene sank to her knees, brushing the hair to the side. Blood seeped from the girl's mouth. She held her face in both hands, her words were frantic and rushed. The light in her eyes slowly faded to a dull, murky brown. That deep laugh rattled her. It seemed to echo off the walls. Larxene's chest heaved, letting the lifeless body fall to the floor in front of her. Her leg seemed to lock up. She swore under her breath, kicking as hard as she could to will her leg to work. Her body felt like it was falling abruptly.

Her eyes snapped open just in time for the side of her face to connect with the hard cement that currently served as a 'floor'. She let out a wounded yelp. Half of her lower body still remained more or less on the mattress, one of her legs somehow tangled itself in the canopy fabric of the bed. She lay there in stunned silence, momentarily defeated.

"Look at that! The star performer even practices in her sleep... No wonder yer always so popular." A familiar voice snickers to her left. The chuckling continues as Larxene's gaze whips to the source of the noise.

Sitting on a box that has yet to be unpacked is Xigbar, the Circus' designated Escape Artist. Having absolutely no account for her privacy, there he sits, finishing the last few bites of an apple, and laughing at the tangled mess Larxene had gotten herself into. "Need help there, kid?"

Larxene visibly jumped. She was alone when she fell asleep, right? How long **had** he been sitting there? Pain coursed up the side of her head. "Don't even." She murmured. finding her nerve, she fought to pick herself up, cursing under her breath while doing so. Finally kicking her leg free, She fell the rest of the way to the ground. With a huff she sat up haphazardly, pulling the blanket to her chest. She stared at him for a few moments. Her eyes narrowed, She was sure a bruise had already begun to surface on her face. "Were….were you seriously watching me sleep?" She asked, seeming to recoil a little. keeping the blanket to her chest, she spoke again. "That's….incredibly creepy, you know that, right?"

Raising both hands defensively he speaks, "Woah there, Silkworm, slow yer roll. I only just got here." Tossing the apple core into the wastebasket across the room with precision, he chuckles again. "I was told to wake all of ya up bright and early. I came in here once, called yer name a few times, and continued on my way. After I made my rounds, I came back, and you were still sound asleep! You must have been dreamin' bout somethin' good... I envy ya..." With that, Xigbar folds his arms and leans his head against the wall looking exhausted, waiting for an explanation.

She ran her fingers through her hair, letting the information sink in. How long had she been asleep? Rising to her feet, the blanket around her fell to the ground. "Yeah well," She murmured, turning away from him for a moment to slip into a pair of grey bloomers. They came down a little lower than they should, given her height. They stopped just above her knees. "Your definition of good must be far different from mine." She spoke, a hint of exasperation in her tone. Larxene fidgeted with the strap of her turquoise bra before rolling her shoulder for a few minutes in silence. She bent down to pick up the slightly worn blanket, giving it a good shake before tossing it back on the bed. "What could you possibly envy me for?" She asked, giving him a sideways stare.

At this Xigbar smirks, not bothering to open his eyes, quite comfortable in his position. He yawns before replying, "I dunno, kid... I just assumed you had a nice dream.. Plus sleeping in sounds pretty nice if ya ask me."

Larxene let out a laugh. "What time is it, anyway?" She asked, finding a long-sleeved shirt strewn across the headboard of the bed. She tugged it on quickly and touched the side of her head, wincing a little. "I uh, wasn't really expecting to find anyone in here, otherwise I would have bothered to keep clothes on."

He stretches stiffly, looking slightly pained before getting to his feet. "Yeah sorry about that. Orders are orders though..." Turning to look at all the unpacked boxes he speaks again, "Need help settin' up fer tomorrow? Gotta get everythin' perfect... Cause Radiant Garden's a tough crowd."

Larxene rolled her eyes. "Of course Radiant Garden's a tough crowd. Everyone's so…stiff here." She was silent for a few seconds, shaking her head suddenly, closing the distance between them. A sly grin crept across her lips.

"You sure you're up to that, old man?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and jabbing him in the side.

Watching her carefully, he eyes her up and down before laughing softly. "Heh... I made my name in this damned town. Plus.. I don't need any flashy ribbons to do my job. It's all talent fer me." He folds his arms and raises an eyebrow, waiting for a sassy remark back.

"Ribbons?" Puh-lease. You think that doesn't take talent?" Larxene asked, arching an eyebrow. "But ya know, uh…" She eyed her nails nonchalantly for a moment before looking up at him, sarcasm thick in her voice. "With *your* ego, I'll bet they're false. You should change 'Escape' artist to 'Con' artist while you can." She nodded solemnly, patting the taller man on the shoulder, as if she were to console him. A snarky grin spread across her face.

Something changes in his expression after her comment. His gaze falls to the side, thinking hard about something for a moment before shaking his head and smiling widely. Throwing an arm around her shoulders he laughs and says, "I'm flattered, really, but there's no need to change the name. Bein' a con artist has always been my side job. Glad you noticed!"

She eyed him carefully, seeing the sudden change in expression on his face. Chewing on her tongue for a moment to ponder this, she decided not to ask. The sudden contact made her flinch a little, bringing her back to reality. "uh…" She murmured, finally snapping to attention. "Side job huh? Did that work out for you?" She asked, eyebrows raised. Larxene knew she probably shouldn't have opened her mouth about it. "I notice a lot of things, actually." She added, a hint of defensiveness could be heard in her voice.

"Hah! Do ya now? What is it that you notice then, Silkworm?" Xigbar pats her shoulder before breaking away from her and leaning on the box he was sitting on just before.

She took a step back. "Shyeah. Wouldn't youuuuu like to know." She brought her hand up to admire her nails confidently. "That's classified, couldn't tell a *con artist,* could I?" She added extra emphasis on that last sentence, sure to raise her eyebrows and put her hands up sarcastically as well.

Sitting down on the box again, he lets out a soft laugh and smirks at her, admiring her sharp comebacks. "Yer a smart girl. I should remember that more often..." Xigbar rests his head in his hands tiredly, not up for picking fights at the moment. It has been a long time since their last show, and it is starting to take its toll on some of the members of the Circus.

"Don't tell me your memory is going too, now." She teased, leaning in close. Larxene was quick to quiet down, recognizing *that* tired look. She straightened her posture, taking a moment to think. It was beginning to creep up on her as well, with the vivid nightmares. "You uh….You okay there…?"

Snapping his head to attention, trying hard to hide his pained lethargy he grins at her. "Heh... yeh... I'm peachy keen... But anyway, didja need any help with yer stage, or are ya all set?"

She narrowed her eyes at his immediate dismissal. "Riiight yeah okay.." She murmured, knowing that he could still probably hear her. "But I don't know, I don't want you to uh..hurt yourself, old man. How *is* your flexibility? Don't want you to like, throw out your hip, or something, you know?" She teased, not wanting to admit she appreciated the offer.

"Look kid, I aint that old. And secondly, I'm pretty flexible. Years of dodging axes and escaping tanks filled with water'll do it fer ya." He waves his hand, quickly getting annoyed with explaining himself. "I was jus offerin' ya a hand cause I'm already set. So if ya don't need me, I'll be heading off before the head honcho asks me to do anythin' else..." He stands up slowly, waiting for an answer.

She put her hands up and grinned. "I'm pretttttty sure I'd probably beat you in the flexibility department, but I digress." She said, somewhat quickly. "But, uh…" Larxene scratched the back of her head lazily. "Sorry to waste your time, Mister escape artist, but I'm all set." She shrugged her shoulders, sure not to break eye-contact at that statement. She realized after saying this that, he could in fact get into a form of trouble for idling this way for so long. The blonde went silent for a moment, trying to rationalize. To be fair, he did technically….wake her up, right? She narrowed her eyes, turning slowly to sit on the edge of the bed she slept on. He didn't really wake her, though. The cement did. She swore under her breath and fell back to lay flat against the bed in defeat.

"Heh... In that case, I'll be off. I'm gonna... disappear fer a while. Scope out the scenery, and maybe even pick a few street rats clean of their souls. Lord knows we need 'em more than they do..." He falls silent rubbing his neck at the thought. Turning to face her once again, he asks, "Speakin' of souls... how's yer necklace holdin' up? Luxord's broke recently, sooo..."

Her hand went to her throat gently, out of habit. Her train of thought began to de-rail to different things. Souls. Was *She* really worth joining? She couldn't even remember her name anymore. That girl was important to her *once* right? Important enough to take her place here. Why couldn't she remember her damn name then? Larxene's expression lowered into a glare for a few seconds. Her thumb ran over the small pendant attached to the choker around her neck and took a breath. "Xigbar." She stated, staring blankly at the ceiling of the tent. "You …had a family, didn't you? *someone* out there?" She asked, not giving him time to respond. "Do you remember their names?" His last sentence rang in her ears, causing her stomach to sink. She didn't want to ask how *that* happened. And she didn't want to know the consequence.

"A family? PAHAHA... As if. You know me more than most of the people at this circus and yer still askin' me that? I mean come on... who could deal with this face fer more than a week?" A grin is pasted on Xigbar's face. He watches her staring at the top of her canopy, wondering why she asked the question so suddenly. Trying to keep his mind away from the thought of a normal life he asks again, "Welllll I guess since ya didn't answer my question, it seems to me that everythin' is ok with yer necklace?"

She propped herself up on her elbows, unimpressed. She knew she wouldn't get very far with a question like that, but she asked anyway. He was dodging. "My necklace is fine." She stated. Larxene knew she probably **shouldn't** press the subject, but… She couldn't be the only one in this situation, right? She chewed her tongue for a moment, opting to fall flat again. "I answered your question, didn't I?" She asked, running a hand through her hair. "You have…." She paused, narrowing her eyes. there isn't really a 'good' way of putting it. "Do you remember their names?" She asked again. If she really *did* know him better than most people, why wouldn't this come up sooner? She didn't want to know. She visibly shook her head at the thought. "I can respect your reasoning for not telling me, alright?" She refused to move her stare from the canopy. The glare on her face seemed like it could burn a hole through the tent itself. "But do you remember their names, or not?" She didn't care to *know* what they were, she just had to know she wasn't alone in this.

Xigbar's voice loses all sense of arrogance that it once had. It sounds completely foreign to Larxene, for complete seriousness is hard to come by with the Escape Artist. "There are no names... I-I've been alone fer longer than I can remember..." After saying this, he looks away, shuffling his feet and staggering a bit. After a few moments he lets out a low growl and turns to leave. "My limbs are startin' to go numb... I need to go. If anyone asks, tell 'em you haven't seen me." He waves over his shoulder, and quickly leaves the tent.

Larxene fell silent for a few moments, lost in thought yet again. His first sentence rang in her head. Completely alone? He's gotta be lying... She sighed. "You and me both, pal. You and me both." She mumbled, choosing not to press the subject further. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. She wanted to wish him luck, but didn't have it in her to say so. He left. She let out long, exasperated sigh. "of course." She nodded. "I haven't seen you. I'm actually very busy staring at….uh.." She made a vague gesture to the canopy. "This."


	2. I Need A Favor

Shaking his head to try and clear it as best as possible, Xigbar ducks behind Larxene's tent to try and hide from anyone who might be looking for him. With each step he takes away from the Circus the more his feet begin to drag. How long had it been since he had taken someone's soul? Looking down at his shaking hands, the answer was clear... Too long. Clenching and unclenching his fists to try and return feeling to his limbs. Cursing under his breath he turns down an alleyway. He was never one to listen to advice, but he could have sworn someone told him once that he was taking too much... This was a faint memory now.. A sudden pain courses through him, causing him to lean against the wall hunched over. "Shit..." Xigbar wasn't planning on taking souls before the show, but he is going to have to. This is clear to him now... "Heh... Let's just hope Xaldin doesn't find out... he'll have my ass on a plate if he does..."

Slumping down against the brick wall, Xigbar sits there limply... It has been a long time... Cursing to himself several times he thinks hard about his predicament. At this stage in the withdrawal moving would prove more painful than he would like. He has had worse though... much worse. Shuddering at the thought, he musters his best pseudo-panicked voice and calls for help, praying someone will be stupid enough to come into the alleyway. He's done this before. Someone is always stupid enough. A stranger turns the corner of the alleyway. Bingo. Xigbar holds his side, side-eyeing the person, pulling off his best 'wounded' look. "I-I need help..." he croaks just quietly enough for the man to come closer cautiously. "S-sir... are you hurt...? Do you need a hand..?" Just as soon as the man is standing in front of him, Xigbar looks up at the stranger and reaches a hand out to him. "I need... a favor.." he mumbles. The man leans in closer, still wary of the situation. "Y-yes what do you need..?" Xigbar reaches a second hand out to the man before smirking, "Jus'... promise not to scream." And with that, both of the purple rings on each finger glow as the man's vermillion soul seeps into the rings. The man's expression goes from sheer horror to a blank slate within seconds. His posture shifts, and he turns to leave the alley, instantly forgetting his purpose there, and why he cared, about anything in life. The light has faded from his eyes. With his need for souls sated for the moment, Xigbar lets his arms fall to his sides with a deep sigh. Biting his lip, he curses himself for the hell hole he has dug himself into. Frowning in disgust at himself, he closes his eyes and waits for his energy to return.


	3. Retrieval

Larxene's eyes closed. She counted to herself, waiting patiently for him to leave the area. She understood what he was doing. She knew **why** he's doing what he was doing too. ….but. She sat up, her expression somewhat bitter. **She** had to obey rules, he should too, right? She nodded to herself. She needed to find someone. Her hand closed around the sheer fabric of her canopy bed, weighing her options. If she went to Demyx, he probably wouldn't believe her. Axel was far too 'uppity' for her taste. Zexion wouldn't bother to speak to anyone else about the matter. Roxas and Xion were too…..talkative. She winced at the thought, their voices rung vividly in her head, causing her to shudder in aggravation. Marluxia….. She narrowed her eyes. He'd take too long to track down. Luxord would probably not want to be bothered with this… She sighed, lacing her fingers around the white fabric gently.

Vexen had become rather elusive too, as of late. And Saix was far too…uptight. He always acted strange the day before opening. That left three. Lexaeus, Xaldin, and Xemnas. She chewed her tongue. She had killed too much time as it was, just thinking about this whole mess. Rising to her feet, she touched the pendant of her choker for a moment before turning on heel and making her way out of the tent. She closed her eyes for a moment, bringing her hand up to shield them. She swore aloud. She didn't remember it being **this** bright out when she went to sleep. With an exasperated groan, she trudged on, keeping a slightly quickened pace. She understood why Xigbar had left. But rules are rules, right? She stood outside of Xemnas' tent. She cleared her throat. "Ringmaster," She spoke, somewhat loudly. "I need to speak with you."

Without a word, Xemnas emerges from his tent to stand in front of the small woman, looking down on her with a calm manner: his usual state. He is not dressed in his Circus attire, but still quite fancy with his waistcoat and ruffled dress shirt. He eyes her up and down before finally speaking slowly, "What is it that you need..?"

Larxene stepped back cautiously. She wasn't expecting him to come **out** from his tent. She blinked several times in an attempt to erase the images of what he could be possibly doing **inside** the tent that'd warrant him to step out of it. "Y-your uh…" She steadied her voice. "Your escape artist has left the grounds." She stared up at him proudly, not wanting to recall the last time they faced each other this way. "He mentioned a thing or two about souls." She raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think this was something I could simply turn my head to. I thought you would want to know." She added, not exactly minding her tone. Larxene raised an eyebrow, awaiting a response from the taller man.

A small smile creeps across Xemnas' face, but quickly fades. He nods before saying, "I did not expect him to leave so soon. Perhaps he is enjoying the sights of home... Regardless, I thank you for informing me. I will have someone retrieve him." Turning back to his tent he finishes, "If that is all... you may leave." Xemnas enters his tent again to make sure everything is where he left it before stepping out into the sun again. He sighs and straightens his coat before taking long regal strides to Xaldin's tent. He had not thought Xigbar would dare enter the streets of Radiant Garden ever again. But now that he has, the next few weeks should prove interesting. Without warning, Xemnas enters Xaldin's tent and announces himself loudly, "Xaldin... I am in need of your aid for a moment."

Larxene nodded quickly, making her escape for the solitude of her bed when he stepped back into his tent. Something about him always put a chill up her spine in the worst way.

Xaldin sat in silence, the only thing to be heard was an oddly steady grinding sound. He sat soundlessly in a metal-backed chair, somewhat small for his size, next to, nearly over a neatly painted table. A small basin of water had slowly been fading to room temperature on the table's surface, Five uniquely shaped knives sat neatly in a row along it's side. He kept steady pace, keeping the blade half a thumbs width off of the whetstone, pushing the blade straight forward along it, and straight back with a precise sense of fluidity. He paused, bringing the blade close to his face to examine it before flipping it to the opposite side to continue. He flinched just barely at the sudden appearance of the ringmaster. He swore under his breath, bringing the blade close to his face, silently hoping it could still be made adequate. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Yes, what is it?" He asked, barely raising his head from his work. He wasn't nearly as presentable as he should have been, he sat barefoot, his trousers had been rolled neatly to the knee. The chain of his necklace jingled slightly at his movement.

Xemnas gazes upon Xaldin's handiwork and nods admiring his precision and dedication to his craft. "I do not relish in bothering you, however, I need you to fetch someone. My Escape Artist has... done his job all too well... **again**." The tone of Xemnas' voice indicates that this has not been the first offense.

Xaldin let out an exasperated sigh, delicately setting his sixth blade down on the surface of the table, and returning the stone in the basin of water. He rose to stand, rummaging silently on the other side of the table for a rag to dry his hands. He moved his hands silently to unroll his pants, sure to keep them as straight as possible. He gave a curt nod, slipping into an adequate shirt, buttoning it with unenthusiastic haste. After slipping into his shoes, he spoke. "I will make my leave, then." He assured, though he rose his eyebrows, unimpressed at his last statement. He knew this has happened in the past, though he himself hadn't gone many times to retrieve him, he had already grown tired of it. "Would you like a word with him when we return, then?"

"That won't be necessary... You just make sure that he understands the... error... of his ways. He's clever enough not to try my patience again... I hope." Xemnas nods to Xaldin before quickly taking his leave, hurrying back to his tent to resume his business before he was so rudely interrupted.

During the time it took for Xemnas to ask Xaldin to retrieve his property Xigbar had already gotten up and stolen another soul along the way to another alley. Feeling woozy now, he decides to take another break sitting against the alley wall. Looking at the littered ground he picks at the trash in front of him with his foot. He can't help but feel a sense of familiarity about this place... but why would an alley in a big city feel so much like it was once home? Granted he had come from Radiant Garden... but something about this alley- He shook his head at the thought. Memories are useless. Raising his head to look at the sky, he tries to clear his mind when something catches his eye. A faded poster at the back of the alley. Looks like its been there for at least a decade, torn by the weather and god knows what else. Again, that wretched feeling of familiarity strikes him. Pulling himself to his feet he lets curiosity take hold as he goes to inspect the poster.

Xaldin took his leave immediately, keeping mind to quell his anger. Not so much at Xigbar, but the interruption of his work. He took great pride in what he did, and he preferred to be left alone when tending to his knives. He busied himself with buttoning the cuffs of his shirt, walking with haste. His slightly unruly heap of hair trailed lazily behind him. A forgiving breeze rolled overhead, a small smile played on his features for those minuscule seconds, a momentary solace in the summer heat. He made his way swiftly through the somewhat crowded streets, sure to scan things carefully, going through every alleyway he could. He brought a hand to his face to rub his eyes, sighing again. He was sure Xigbar had a colorful reason as to why he left, but of course, Xemnas had to be minded. He didn't want to see someone like Xigbar get on Xemnas' 'bad' side. He continued on, finally spotting a skinny figure at the end of another alleyway. Bingo. He quietly paced down the rickety trail to the escape artist. What was he doing? He seemed so transfixed on something on the back wall. Xaldin narrowed his eyes, hoping that it'd make them focus more. Did Xigbar even hear him? He was a few feet in front of him now. A sly grin crept across his face . He wasn't nearly as mad as he thought, in fact…

He put his hands in his pockets neatly and took a breath. "You look a bit dizzy there, friend. Do you need assistance?" he asked, his eyes narrowed with that question. "What **are** you looking at so intently over here?" He asked, taking a step closer, raising his eyebrows a little, trying to make sense of the poster plastered to the wall for a moment before turning his attention back to the smaller man. "How many have you taken **today** , Xigbar?" He asked, his tone much more stern than when he started. He had no intention of fighting, but if he didn't say **Something** to his co-worker, the both of them would be in deep with Xemnas.

Caught completely off guard by Xaldin's sudden appearance, which is rare in itself, he turns on his heel, nearly falling over in the process. "X-Xaldin?! The hell're you doing here...?! I- er... I wasn't doin' anything really, just uh... sight-seein' ... " Ignoring the question about the souls, Xigbar tries his best to cover the poster with his back, though it is placed slightly higher than his frame, which made this no easy task. Holding onto the wall for balance, he wobbles back and forth while trying to hide the flier and still appear to have his wits about him. "N-nice day out aint it?"

Xaldin sighed and ran his tongue over his teeth. Sightseeing in a dingy, narrow alley? Xaldin shook his head at the thought. He stared blankly at the shorter man's attempts to hide whatever it was on the paper. "If you like that flyer so much to hide it, why don't you just take it?" He asked, moving Xigbar aside with great ease. He looked down at him, as if to dare him to protest. He peeled the faded parchment off of the wall carefully before holding it out to him. "Here." He said, motioning with his head to take it. "Now," He began, taking a few steps back and folding his hands neatly behind his back. " **How many** today, Xigbar?"He asked, hoping he didn't have it in him to run. He didn't want to end this in a fight. He honestly just wanted to be back in silence, tending to his knives. He gave an unimpressed look at his last sentence. "Today is a day, **Xigbar** , that I'd much rather spend indoors, alone." He murmured, keeping his gaze locked on his co-workers face. "My question still stands."

Shoving the paper in his pocket without breaking eye contact, he winces and prays he didn't pay much attention to the flier. Taking small steps to the side he tries to gauge Xaldin's obvious annoyance. How annoyed.. was he? On the scale of annoyance... hmm... "Well... about the souls... Y-you wouldn't happen to believe me if I uh... If I said I stole only two right?" Trying to distract Xaldin from stepping backwards towards the entrance of the alley, by dragging out his answer as best he can. Xigbar didn't really feel like running either, but... this time he really messed up. Lately, its been getting harder and harder to keep track of just how many souls he has taken off-hours.

Xaldin tensed a little, awaiting a justifiable answer. His eyed didn't leave Xigbar's face for a few minutes and, that really seemed too long to him. " **Today** , Xigbar? O **nly two?** " He asked, his hands remained sternly behind his back, unsure of if he believed that statement or not. You, and anyone else that may try to pull this particular stunt could put this entire operation at risk, you…. **know** that, don't you?" He exhaled slowly. "I must say, I do admire your footwork, but if you'd be so kind," He continued, taking a step back and reaching an arm out with haste. His fist closed around the back of the shorter man's collar. He guided his thin frame in front of him slowly but sternly. "Xemnas does not want to see you. He does not **terribly** care about what you may be doing out here, but now that I am personally in the middle of it, **I** do. I had been remarkably busy before this mess, so I'd appreciate it if you tagged along quietly, hm?" He spoke somewhat quickly, taking caution to keep his voice low enough to **not** draw attention.

Taking a deep breath in and exhaling slowly Xigbar gives in, running would not be worth wasting the energy he just regained. Looking up at his monster of a co-worker he shrugs and smirks. "Yeh it would be risky if I were anyone else... But i'm not. I'm me. And honestly, these guys are too stupid to realize that half the towns around here are mindless zombies anyway.. Whats five more before a show, eh? You would know how bad it gets, right bud?" Xigbar tries to make light of the situation, trying to avoid the incoming lecture.

Xaldin arched an eyebrow. "Now it's five?" He asked, keeping his hold on Xigbar's shirt. "Either way," He began, making his way out of the alley and into the main street. "It's this business you should be concerning yourself with, not the worries of a few townsfolk. If you mess up, we all mess up. There's a system to all of this, old friend, you should know that more than anyone." He continued, scanning the immediate area to be sure they weren't attracting unwanted attention, though he knew that someone of his height escorting someone else by the collar would turn some heads. He sighed, loosening his grip on the smaller man's shirt.

With a sigh, Xigbar starts to make his way back to the Circus with Xaldin. Trying to keep an even pace with the taller man was not an easy task. After a few moments he finally speaks, shoving his hands in his pockets, "Look... I appreciate yer concern, big guy, but I won't mess up. Never have, never will." He looks away at this last sentence, regretting it the moment it left his mouth. No one would buy that, not even Demyx, and that is saying something.

Xaldin remained tense, ever ready incase his coworkers 'fight or flight' instinct kicks in. Still, he folded his hands neatly behind his back and continued on. He silently hoped for another shred of a breeze, with no luck. He walked with his head high, weaving in and out of the small crowds of townspeople, sure to keep a close eye on Xigbar. His hair trailed lazily behind him and his necklace jingled just barely with every step. His eyes fell closed for a moment when Xigbar began to speak. He was certain that **he** was not the one that had been concerned at all. "Wouldn't you think that," He began, giving him a sideways glance. "Whomever brought this to Xemnas' attention would be more 'concerned' about you than I am?" He asked, sure to put extra emphasis on 'concerned'. His eyes widened a little at Xigbar's last sentence. A smile tugged at his lips as they crossed over the entrance to the Circus. "You messed up somewhere old friend, otherwise you wouldn't be **here**. " He gestured with a nod.

Xigbar's mind raced to think of who could possibly have told Xemnas what he was doing. He didn't have to think long to know the answer. His mood was turning sour quickly, and as his mind went back to the piece of paper in his pocket, it hit rock bottom. Continuing through the entrance and stepping ahead of his co-worker he snaps over his shoulder, "Well at least I'm not the only one who messed up then... You can go back to knitting now, mom." He waved his hand and kept walking, not daring to make eye contact with Xaldin after that sentence.

Xaldin froze at his final comment. You can go back to knitting now, mom. knitting. Was he serious? Anger began to build in his chest. He was sure that Xigbar would hear quite an earful but for now he held his tongue. He precisely made his way to their ringmaster's tent, choosing to step in without warning. "Your escape artist has been returned." He announced sternly, keeping his head held high. Xaldin gave no time for response before turning on heel to leave. Knitting. That word rang in his ears. a glare had plastered it's way across his face up until he crossed the doorway to his tent. He let out a long, slow sigh and began to undo the buttons on his shirt so he could resume his sharpening.


	4. Was It Worth It?

Larxene held her hand by her forehead in an attempt to shield her eyes from the sun. gravel had begun biting into the heels of her feet, causing her to curse under her breath. She really needed to remember to wear shoes more often. She had looked up as Xaldin breezed by, his expression made her stomach sink. She made sure to stay out of whatever that was about. She looked back at him for a few seconds. He wasn't really one to be angry, at least, she didn't think so. She couldn't help but wonder what could have gotten his panties in such a twist. The faint sound of footsteps caused her to focus a little more on where she had been walking. It was a little more defined than the sound of regular footfalls on gravel. Boots. And who would wear boots in this heat, regardless of showtime? The footsteps grew a little louder, more hurried sounding. She turned her head back, side-stepping absentmindedly before tripping over something. She looked up. Xigbar. A sly grin crept across her face as she continued closer, correct in her assumption. She sidestepped again so they could pass by each other without incident. "Back so soon?" she murmured, giving him a sideways stare.

As soon as Larxene finished speaking, Xigbar stopped in his tracks. Without turning around to face her he clenches his fists, the rings biting into his fingers from the pressure. Although he feels much better than he had before, things certainly have been going very wrong today. He chews his lip for a moment before turning to face her slowly, his face drained of emotion. A sight rarely seen. "Yea.. I'm back. And I wouldn't be if it weren't fer you ya little rat." Xigbar wasn't angry at her per se, she just happened to be the one to talk to him in this foul mood.

The grin on her face grew. She hadn't seen him look this way before, she considered it an accomplishment for herself. Her toes dug into the gravel for a moment while she listened to him speak. Her eyebrows raised. "Rat?" she asked, giving a short laugh. Larxene put a hand gently over her chest. "Well aren't you sweet." She said, her expressed changed for a moment as if she actually received a heartfelt compliment. She gave a wink to add to the sarcasm before continuing on her way. There wasn't a thing in the world that'd get her to admit she actually alerted Xemnas because some shred of her feared for Xigbar's safety.

The wink was what did it. A low growl escaped Xigbar as he watched her start to walk away. Although using their powers does drain the souls that they all take, his anger was blinding his logic. Snapping his fingers, he takes a chunk of ground in front of her and flips it perpendicular to the ground she stands on, creating a sizable wall directly in front of her stride. Watching her face-plant into his trap, brought a smirk to his face, despite it all.

Larxene swore aloud, taking a shaky step backward after colliding with the wall the escape artist conjured up. She brought the back of her hand to her nose, peeking one eye open. Blood. She laughed and shook her head a few times even though she regretted the movement. Pain coursed up the side of her face again, causing her to grit her teeth for a few seconds. She laughed again, turning to him once more. She dabbed her nose with the side of her hand a second time, not bothering to try to stop the bleeding. She flashed him another grin. "I can uh…" She began, bringing her hand to her nose again. "respect that." She nodded, turning her head to the side to spit the blood that had made it's way into her mouth to the ground. "All that work was for nothin' now, huh?" She couldn't help but smirk. He did get her pretty good. "Was it worth it, Mister Escape Artist?" She asked, giving another wink for good measure before continuing back to her tent, sidestepping the makeshift wall. Tiredness crept up on her. She had been asleep for most of the day but this was a different volume of 'tired' to her. She looked down at her hands after she disappeared behind the doorway to her tent. She did manage to get a few scrapes on her hands too. She smirked.

"Shit..." Xigbar managed to murmur after Larxene left. Bringing his hands to his face to rub his temples, he couldn't help but feel bad. He hadn't meant to draw blood, but the sight did make him feel a little better. The wall he created crumbles back into place as he turns to leave. Continuing on he enters his tent, mind still racing from the events of the day. Everything is all set up for tomorrow night. Rows of long benches are placed on each side of the main area of the tent. Xigbar makes his way down the aisle, stepping up on the wooden stage and pushing past the curtain to enter his small closet of a room. Climbing into his hammock tied to the post in the ceiling, he forces himself to sleep, refusing to think about anything else.

Larxene held her sleeve to her nose for a few minutes, not particularly caring about the stain she would have to deal with later. She stepped past a doorway on the opposite side of her makeshift 'room'. She sighed, touching the side of her head with her free hand. The girl hoped that she'd feel up to par by morning. She stood in a somewhat tall circular room, the wooden stage itself stood in the center surrounded by red stadium style chairs. The transition from Larxene's 'room' to this one always felt a little strange to her, but that was the point, she guessed. The walls were a dark, murky green with wide black horizontal stripes. The ceiling was high. Black with little flecks of white and yellow, giving the illusion of stars. She eyed her setup silently for a few moments, content with herself. She stifled a yawn as she turned to leave. She needed to wash the remaining blood off of herself before she could sleep. She sighed in exasperation, hoping that somehow she wouldn't be bruised or cut up for opening night tomorrow.


	5. Poster Duty

Even though it was only 10:00 the next morning, the summer heat had already kicked in full force. Demyx stood hunched over, his hands on his knees, waiting for Axel to come out of his tent. The two of them were supposed to do their annual advertisement scheme this morning. Panting at the heat, Demyx whines loudly, "Axellllllll hurry up! I'm already starting to dry oouuttt!" Demyx was a "Swamp Thing" as they called him during shows. He lives in Vexen's Freak Show tent, along with all of the scientist's creations. He, however, was not one of them. In fact, he never really knew why he was different from regular humans... but the fins and scales gave it away, not to mention the tail.

Axel's eyes snapped open. That voice was unmistakable. Demyx. He had intended to wake up a lot earlier, with no luck. He scrambled to his feet. His head spun, causing him to stagger a little. "Uh," He cleared his throat in an attempt to shake the sleep from his voice. "Be right out!" He called, quickly digging through a wooden crate for some form of clothes. Dry out? He froze. That can't be good. He glanced around the room for a moment before, very ungracefully, stepping into a pair of pants. He made quick work of the button and zipper, and stepped into a pair of slightly worn work boots. He snatched a small bottle off of the rickety stand next to his bed and slipped it into his back pocket. "Do you uh…" He began, stepping out of the tent. He groaned, shielding his eyes from the sunlight. He really wasn't kidding. "Do you need some water or…..er…shade?" He asked, giving a sideways glance to the smaller boy.

"W-water would be nice..." Demyx replies making a dramatic gasping sound. He was of course being a little overdramatic. But the pleading look he gave Axel said otherwise. "Do you have water...?"

"Well," he began, placing his hand over his back pocket. "Y-you don't want this." He wrinkled his nose as if he tasted something bad and shook his head. "Trust me." He straightened his back, not wanting to find out if he actually **was** serious, or if it had just been theatrics. " I will find you some, though." He said with a confident nod. Axel chewed his tongue for a moment to think. Who had water just…..at the ready like that? He led Demyx by the hand to some shade, encouraging him to rest. "Sit tight, okay?"

He turned on heel and made a beeline for Xaldin's tent. He peeked his head in, finding no sign of him. The redhead sighed in relief, finding a sizable container full of water, as usual on a neatly painted table. He tiptoed closer, unsure if Xaldin would be close-by. He picked it up with both hands, as it was heavier than he first thought. He smiled widely and crept out of the tent. Frankly, Xaldin scared the wits out of him, not as much as Lexaeus, or Vexen, of course. He shook his head as if to rid himself of the thoughts, as he made his way back to Demyx. He tried to keep his steps even, yet quick, which was something he failed at. Somehow managing to keep the water off of his clothes, he returned to his coworker. "Will this do?" He asked, beaming like a proud child waiting for praise.

Demyx gasps loudly and squeaks, "Thanks man!" He grabs the container and proceeds to dump the entire thing on himself. Shaking his tail and smiling from ear to ear, he looks better already, being drenched in water. "You're the best Axel!"

Axel nodded. "Of course!" He rummaged in his front pockets for a few seconds as if he'd forgotten something. He groaned and tapped his own forehead. "We aren't gonna get very far without the flyers, are we?" He asked, holding up a finger. "Just a sec." The redhead ran back to his tent, which was nearly always in a state of dishevelment. "Uhh…" He scanned the room, narrowing his eyes. He snatched a black messenger bag from his bed frame, and slung it over his shoulder lazily before making his way back to Demyx. "You ready?" He asked, digging in his left pocket for a hair tie. The heat was beginning to creep up on him as well. He used both hands to try to contain his oddly unruly hair into a low ponytail.

Hopping back and forth from foot to foot in the puddle that he created, Demyx replies happily, "Heck yeah I'm ready! Let's do this!" He stops hopping and tugs at the white t-shirt he is forced to wear in public, it always gets caught on his scales. "But... uh... where are we gonna start? I've never been here before..."

"If…." Axel eyed him carefully. "If it's bothering you, why don't you just take it off?" He asked, hoping that didn't sound too weird. "Er….a-anyway," He scratched the side of his head. "The square is the best place, I think. That, or the fountain court." He said with a nod, a smile grew on his face at his last sentence. "'c'mon. daylight's burnin'." He said, motioning forward. "Just uh, don't get scared, okay?" Axel couldn't help but smirk at what he had planned.

He led the way in silence for a while, weaving in and out of crowds, already managing to turn some heads. He smirked, taking the back from around his bare shoulders. He glanced back to Demyx and put his finger to his lips. He slowed to a stop, pulling out the stack of papers. He flashed a smile before drawing a breath, letting out a yell. A handful of people in the surrounding area ducked, some craned their necks to get a better view of what may be happening, others yelled too, and a few took the chance to run. He tossed a handful of flyers into the air, letting them scatter into the crowded street. He jogged to the center of the square and held his left arm up high above his head. Go big or go home, right? Bright orange fire sprang to life around his hand.

He fished around with his right hand for the small bottle of Paraffin wax he snagged from his room earlier. He brought it to his mouth and pressed down on the nozzle. He was careful to keep the liquid in the front of his mouth. Thankfully, it was tasteless but swallowing the stuff is never a fun experience. He drew a breath and tilted his head backward, bringing his hand down to his face. In one fluid movement he exhaled, causing the fire from his fingertips to expand into a plume in the air above him. He held both of his hands behind his back, the fire from his mouth hovered in the air for a few seconds before dispersing. He grinned at the amount of people crowding around them now. Tossing the remaining flyers into the crowd, he turned to Demyx. "Don't tell the bossman about that, our secret, 'kay?"

At this Demyx smiles widely, though very nervous around Axel's fire show. "C-can I have a secret too?" Without waiting for a reply he blows bubbles for the children, each of the bubbles a different color. The children smile and laugh as they play with the bubbles. They're excited to find that they don't pop. "We'd be super happy if you guys could come to our show tonight, just... uh... ask your parents first mmkay?"

Axel took a step back and wiped his mouth on a small scrap of fabric that hung loosely out of his back pocket. He turned his head to respond but smiled widely instead, watching the bubbles float from his coworkers mouth. He was never very good around kids but somehow, Demyx had a way with them, despite his appearance. Axel clapped with the crowd, after slipping the bottle back into his back pocket. After a few minutes of this, he opted to start hanging flyers around the area. He began to wonder if they should move to the fountain court, or just head back.

After some time the crowds started to disperse. The children were taken away by their parents, though they seemed reluctant to leave. Popping all the bubbles that he created, Demyx turns to Axel. "Hey... uh can we go to the fountain now? I wanna show off too ya know!"

Axel nodded with a grin, keeping a hand lazily on the strap of the bag across his shoulder. He pointed. "That's this way." He pointed to a set of stairs, sure to plaster posters on the buildings, street lamps, and walls along the way. He glanced backward every so often to make sure Demyx was still close by. They weaved through the groups of people huddled around the shop nearby. He pointed again at the large archway a few feet ahead of them. "It's just through here." He said with a nod, continuing to lead the way. He stopped at the top of the large set of stairs overlooking the court. Dozens of children played and splashed in the fountains while most of their parents sat on the respective benches lining the outermost wall. A few of them could be spotted in the water with them. Axel stepped aside and turned to Demyx. "This looks riiiiight up your alley, friend. I'm gonna keep putting flyers up." He gave a two finger salute and trotted down the stairs to begin his work.

Demyx's eyes lit up at the sight, his scaly tail wagging in excitement. Dashing to join the children in the fountains, he terrified many on the way there. Whenever people scream, something inside him squirms, he often forgets that he is not like everyone else. Some of the parents have started to try to coax their children away from him, even though they're staring in awe. "I-It's alright guys... I'm with the Circus that's in town. I promise I won't hurt anyone!" Demyx pleads as he raises his hands and begins to work at the fountain's water. He takes a ball of water and sculpts it into a dolphin. Tossing it up into the air it begins to swim and twirl around the children. The kids laugh and ask him to make more creatures. The parents however were still skeptical, some were whispering terrible things to each other... but Demyx was too far to hear.

Demyx sat himself down in front of the children in the pool of water. He had begun to create all of their favorite animals out of water. They truly enjoyed him being there. "Mister... Mister can you make me an elephant?" At this he smiles and says, "Of course little guy. Elephants are really cool... Have you ever seen one?" This goes on and the children have a great time playing with Demyx, as if he was their old friend. That is until a group of teenagers get a little too close to him. "Hey **fishface**!" As soon as Demyx turns to face them with a hurt look, they all begin to throw trash at him, including broken bottles. Although afraid, Demyx yelps and pushes the kids out of the way, getting hit by the flying objects in the process. The broken glass cuts at his scales, drawing blood. The teenagers laugh and jeer as the children and parents hurry away from the scene.

Axel had effectively been fluctuating between sticking posters to the walls and benches, and tossing them and letting them scatter. His spine stiffened, hearing Demyx cry out the way he did, making him turn his head in time to see a bottle sail through the air. He squinted, trying to make sense of the situation. His back was turned for maybe five minutes, how did they get **here?** a strange sense of anger began to build in his chest. He wasn't normally protective of people, least of all Demyx for that matter, but **someone** had to do **something**. He took the bottle from his back pocket and brought it to his mouth, biting off the cap and taking some of the contents. He slipped it back into place and leapt off of the small arched bridge connecting the pathways to the fountain court. Using the same tactic from the square, Fire sprang to life at the tips of two of his fingers. He drew a breath, bringing his hand to his face. His expression lowered into a glare. He exhaled, moving both of his hands behind his back as he did so.

The fire expanded forward at a very quick rate, and lingered just above the teenagers heads. That was enough to send two of them running, one ducked down, the other fell to the side. Axel ran a few paces, catching one of them by the arm, and the other by the collar. He forced both of them forward, causing them both to trip and fall into the shallow water. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked, standing over the boys, not giving any of them a chance to respond. "You think because someone looks different, that means you can throw things and name-call, do ya?" He put his hands up and shrugged. "Well," He began, both of his hands now surrounded by fire. He placed a burning hand over his chest, his expression completely unchanged. Fire began to creep up his left arm. "I'd say I'm pretty different too, do any of you have anything to say to me?" He dared any of these kids to make a remark.

The kids were way too afraid to do anything but scream and run away. The few remaining bystanders turned tail and ran as well, leaving Axel and Demyx alone in the fountains. Demyx got to his feet slowly, rubbing his eyes with one arm. Tears stung his eyes, but he quickly tried to hide them. "Th-Thanks man... I think we did good today! Lots of kids want to come visit me..." He turns to Axel and forces a smile, trying to make himself happy.

The flames vanished in the air, and he hurried over to his coworker. "A-Are you hurt?" He asked, studying the smaller boy's face. He gave a nod, and a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, you're right, bud, they do." He looked down to the water, which was now littered with glass, and garbage. "Those snarky kids should bring their little asses back here and clean this mess." He murmured, moving quickly to pick the things out of the water, and into the nearest trashcan. He handled the glass carefully, not that he wasn't used to cuts, he injures himself quite often during his shows, but he knew for a fact that all of **his** equipment was sterile. With this, there was no telling. He dropped it into the can carefully and wiped his hands on his pants before returning to Demyx. His eyes widened a little. "You're….you're bleeding, man." He pointed, somewhat shakily. "I have half a mind to go find these damn kids…" he murmured, digging hurriedly through his bag. He had a scrap of fabric in his back pocket but there's no way he'd let him use that, it had Paraffin wax all over it. Yuck. He found a clean rag in one of the zipper pockets. "Here, uh..." He held the rag out to him.

Demyx took the rag gratefully and held it to his cheek. His lip began to quiver a bit as he shuffled his feet in the water, looking down. "Axel...? C-can we go home now...? I forgot to tune my instruments... and I uh... need to go do that." The sun was overhead beaming down on them, signaling that it must be mid afternoon. Demyx kept his gaze on the water at his feet, for he knew that if he looked anywhere else he might cry. The water always made him feel better.

Axel put his hand on Demyx's shoulder in an attempt to console him. "Sure thing." He murmured, silently hoping that he wouldn't start crying, he always felt horrible in that sort of situation. He glanced around quickly. "Uh…" He chewed his tongue for a moment, trying hard to think of **something**. He straightened his posture. "C'mon." He took the teary-eyed boy by the hand, leading him up the set of stairs in silence. They continued past the archway, weaving around the small groups of people that always seemed to be gathered there. Axel's steps fell louder than usual, water sloshed in his boots, causing people to stare. He motioned for his coworker to sit down in a shaded spot to wait. He nodded to him and made his way into one of the small shops.

It was a lot colder in there by a considerable amount compared to outside. He waited in line patiently, considering the forgiving temperature. He eyed the menu carefully. Trying to figure out what Demyx might want. Has Demyx ever even **had** ice cream before? He's had to, right? Who hasn't? Do people like him have allergies? The cashier cleared her throat, bringing him back to reality. "You know, you really shouldn't be in here without a shirt, I'm near positive it's a health code violation." She spoke, giving him a doubtful look. He shook his head and sputtered out an apology, finally deciding on an order. "Okay I need a…..er…a H-Honeybunny, and a, uh…Donald…..Fizz. Er, please." He scratched the side of his head. He hated ordering things with silly names like that, made him feel weird. The girl nodded, punching a few things into the register. "That'll be 160 even."

She said with a nod. Axel flinched a little, lost in thought yet again. He dug around in his pockets for the munny he had. He tossed it haphazardly onto the countertop, turning his head to the window, to see if Demyx was in view. He had hoped nobody was messing with him. The cashier smirked, returning with his order, handing him a cone with Vanilla Ice cream, oddly enough, shaped like a rabbit head, topped with a golden glaze. He grinned, taking the cone with a nod. "Here's this too," She added, handing him an ice cream bar on a stick, with what looked like a candied duck's bill and a sailor's hat. It was a blueish color and coated in pop-rocks. He hoped Demyx would like it. He muttered out a 'thank you' and turned to leave. "Do you have a date or something?" The cashier asked, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Wh…what did you say?" his eyes grew wide. "She pointed at his bare chest. "You're certainly dressed like it." She smirked. Axel went red in the face. "You've got it all wrong, lady." He left the building as fast as possible, shaking his head slightly to erase the thought.

He finally returned to Demyx and presenting the ice cream to him. "It's blueberry." He said with a grin. "Ready to go?"

Demyx's small frown changed to a smile as he took the ice cream from Axel, "I-Is this ice cream? I've never actually had ice cream before... Th-Thank you so much..." He said his thank you shyly as he stood, staring at the frozen treat, unsure of where to actually bite. He followed Axel on their way back through the streets. Sticking his tongue out to touch the ice cream occasionally, and jumping back when he felt how cold it was.

Axel grinned, happy with himself, now that Demyx wasn't crying anymore. "Don't mention it!" He wanted to ask if he was serious, **everyone's** had ice cream before, right? He decided not to ask, incase he were telling the truth. He didn't want Demyx to feel any more different than he already was. Axel bit one of the ears off his ice cream and continued on past the gates of the circus. "I guess I should finish setting up…" He murmured with a sigh. "Have fun with your instruments," He said while putting up a hand, signaling his leave.

"Oh. Good, uh…Good luck tonight!" He grinned, taking a step away. Axel glanced back at him and did a double-take. "M-Maybe uh, you should have Vex….er…Maybe Zexion or Roxas about those cuts, okay?" He encouraged, not really sure who he should go to for medical attention. He shrugged and made his way through his 'tent' to the other side. The redhead did continue to chip away at his ice cream, suddenly very happy he made the choice. It was only getting hotter out at that point. His tent though, was significantly smaller than some of the others, Because he preferred to perform outside. Xemnas would more than likely have his head on a pike if he were to perform 'indoors.'

There was a generously spaced hexagon 'ring' made with thick wooden posts and a string of banners that tied each of them together just behind the tent Axel slept in. Wooden benches lined the outermost part of the 'ring'. Everything he really **needed**  for his performance sat safely in the crate at the foot of his bed. The sun was just beginning to set, turning the sky a mix of pink with it's original blue. His stomach twisted a little. Opening night always made him nervous. If someone **else** got hurt again, he was Sure the Ringmaster would give him a stern 'talking to.' He shivered at the thought.


	6. Fishboy and Nellie the Elephant

Demyx pushed past the gates as well making his way to the Freak Show tents. These tents were a set of four all put together. Within, Vexen ran the show. He prides himself in being "in charge" of a part of the circus. Lexaeus, Zexion, and demyx work with him in this area. Vexen is usually busy creating more... Freak attractions for his show, so not many have the courage to actually enter his tents. Xion is one of his prized creations: a living marionette. Demyx is still confused as to how Vexen managed to do that. Opening his mouth wide, he puts the whole rest of the ice cream in his mouth, taking it off of the stick. With a yelp, he holds his head quickly getting what he now knows is brain freeze. Hopping from foot to foot he looks around for Zexion as per Axel's suggestion. "MMMZZZEEXXIIOMMMM!" He hollers with a mouth still full of ice cream.

Zexion cursed under his breath, taking a moment to calm himself. It seemed he was always getting interrupted. If not, someone needed him for something. Not that he minded terribly, but he does like his share of solitude. Still, he stepped out of his tent and scanned the area for the source of the noise. He put his hand over his eyes for a moment. "What happened?" He asked, concern marring his features now. He glanced around, looking for another person to hopefully explain **something**. He glanced at the stick in his hand. "Does your head feel funny? Does it hurt?" He asked, gesturing with his hands. "Well, er…" He squinted a little an held up his left hand. "Listen, okay? How on earth…? What did you do to your face?" He shook his head. "Take your thumb, and press it to the roof of your mouth. Like…well…" He demonstrated, though his cheeks flushed a bit. He felt silly doing that when he clearly wasn't in the situation. "There. Now do it how I showed you, keep it there for a few seconds. It….seems weird but you should start to feel better soon." He sighed, turning his head quickly every which way to be **sure** nobody had witnessed what he just did. "Come with me, then." He pointed to his tent. Vexen would be quite upset if Demyx was left to perform tonight covered in wounds.

Demyx nods quickly, doing just as Zexion said, and followed him into his tent. He started trying to talk with his thumb in his mouth, but it just sounded like strange warbling. This didn't stop him from trying to explain what happened.

Zexion sighed, pulling a chair from the table, motioning for him to sit. He rummaged around in various cabinets and drawers for some shred of medical supplies. He removed Demyx's hand from his mouth gently. "Here, **now** speak. What happened to you?" He asked, choosing to sit at the foot of his bed neatly, awaiting a response.

Demyx sits down and touches his cheek, breathing in sharply at the sting. "So... Axel and I went out advertising today... and... and everything was really cool until some bad people threw stuff at me..." At this he looks down. "Zexion... I-I don't think the people in this town like people who are different. You should be careful if you go outside." He pauses and thinks for a moment. "Oh! But you could bring Axel along! Cause he saved me from the mean people!"

Zexion bit his tongue, trying to keep track of the things he was saying. He dabbed at the cuts with gauze to stop the bleeding, relieved to find that they were shallow. "We cannot make **everyone** like us, friend." He murmured, giving a nod in reassurance. He knew he'd be fine if he left the grounds, but for Demyx's sake, he gave him his word. "That was very good of Axel then, wasn't it? Finally making himself useful, isn't he?" He said with a smirk. "Are you set up for the night?" He asked, eyeing the boy carefully.

Demyx jumps and squeaks at the question. "Ahh! I need to tune my instruments! It's gonna sound so bad if I don't. Thanks for remindin' me, Zexy, you're a lifesaver!" He smiles and wiggles eager to get back to his instruments before the show.

Zexion's eyes widened. 'Zexy'? did he hear him right? He muttered out a 'you're welcome' and quickly dropped the subject, scrambling to put his medical things away to keep his room tidy.

"Zexion!" a small voice called, causing him to visibly jump and swear aloud. He turned his head to the source of the noise. Roxas. "Do you **need** something, child?" Roxas shook his head eagerly, patting a messenger bag about two times too big for his small frame, glass rattled inside. "Nope! I'm all set." He grinned. "But, the crowds are startin' to roll in, just a heads up." And with that, he was gone.

"AHHH! Gotta go! Thanks again!" Demyx hollered while he nearly fell over the chair he was sitting in as he ran from Zexion's tent and back to his own. Scrambling from instrument to instrument he began to tune them as quickly as he could. "Piano? Check. Tambourine? Does that need a check? ... Check anyway! Guitar? Check. ...Theres one more... " Talking to himself he climbs the ladder on the side of the large tank of water that serves as his room/stage. Jumping in the water and coming back up to lean on the giant plastic lily pad at the top, he summons his Sitar to check the tune on that as well. Once that is all finished, he eagerly awaits the children to come visit him.

A small wiry-haired boy marched through the doorway to the tent, the scent of treated water filled his lungs. He practically dragged his father behind him, who was clearly worn from their day. The boy went on about the room they stood in, his eyes lit up as he spoke, trying hard to get his father to move faster, wanting to get a seat as close as possible. The child sat eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. His father however, looked less amused.

Demyx quickly dove back underwater. He sat at the bottom of his tank on the colorful rocks cross-legged. Tapping on the glass to get the child's attention, he waves and smiles when he does. To pass the time, he blows bubbles playfully under the water to pass the time while waiting for the rest of the seats to fill.

The child bounced in his seat, tugging at his fathers sleeve, making sure he was paying attention. He waved back enthusiastically and elbowed his father gently, to coax him into waving too. The Man gave in, giving Demyx a half wave. The boy turned to his father and tugged at his sleeve. "Those are pretty rocks, huh, dad?" his brown eyes grew wide. "When I grow up, I wanna do what he does." He said, matter-of-factly. His father finally spoke. "Watch," He pointed, barely moving his hand to do so. "You'll miss it." That was all it took, the child obediently listened, turning the correct way in his seat to watch. The seats began to fill, causing the boy to scoot closer to him. the man was silently thankful for having such a close seat, not having to deal with many people obstructing their view of the show.

Demyx swims to the top of his tank and leans his arms over the sides watching his crowd. He smiles widely and says, "Hey guys! Are you ready to see something cool? I've been practicing this one for a while!" He blows a few rainbow bubbles to see what their reactions will be. The bubbles float through the crowd bouncing on the children's heads.

The children hopped and cheered, hardly staying in their seats trying to catch the bubbles as they bounced, the parents joined in a little as well. The boy's father, though he didn't want to **admit** it, he was beginning to enjoy himself as well.

Leaving the bubbles in the crowd, Demyx climbs out of his tank and down the ladder. He sat at the edge of the stage and began to speak, "So. I want you all to meet a friend of mine. She's really shy, but she's really fun!" With that, Demyx hops to his feet again, picking up a bucket next to his tank. He reaches up and scoops as much water as he can into the bucket. "Her name is Nellie the Elephant!" Throwing the water into the crowd, it stops in mid-air, and twirls through the air back to Demyx. The stream of water dances around him before landing in front of him taking the shape of a small elephant.

The wiry haired boy clung to his father's arm, practically vibrating with excitement, looking back and forth between Demyx, and his father's face, spewing all kinds of comments and questions. The rest of the children spoke eagerly, as if to reassure Nellie, that it was okay to be shy. Some of the parents joined in as well, encouraging their children to interact with the show. The child's father blinked rapidly for a few seconds. His eyes widened half in horror, and half in amazement. It really looked like the **water** had come to life before his eyes. Surely, it must just be the old 'smoke and mirrors' trick, right? This was meant for children. He shook the thought, feeling his son tugging at his arm.

Nellie raised her trunk happily and trumpets for them. Demyx laughed and said, "Nellie says hi! She also wants me to play a song for you!" The children cheer and wait eagerly as Demyx picks up his guitar and begins to sing Nellie the Elephant. During the song, his small water elephant marches through the rows of seats, occasionally touching the children with her watery trunk. With the last few notes of the song, Demyx's bracelet starts to glow. The crowd is so entranced that they hardly notice the last few moments of their life with emotion slipping from them and into the piece of jewelry. Their smiles fade, their faces go blank as they leave the tent slowly, as if nothing happened. With a sigh, Demyx sits down and pouts, "They never ever stay...do they Nellie?" The elephant tromps over to him and falls apart into a puddle. Another show ran without a hitch.


	7. The Escape Artist

As the sky darkened completely, Xigbar waits on top of his tent, sitting comfortably on the edge of the post facing the crowds. He has these shows down to routine now. Watching the crowds for anything interesting he tries to think back to when he was ever afraid for a show. No matter how hard he tried, he could never think of a time like that. Maybe nervous to try a new trick, but never afraid.

As his tent starts to fill, he chuckles to himself. Not one of them noticed where he was sitting. Tonight will be easy. Jumping down from his post, he lands on both feet and takes a deep breath. "Here goes..." Kicking off the ground, he flips upside down and walks through the curtains. A few gasps can be heard as he enters, and people fumble to find their seats. He continues walking between them.

"Sorry I'm late guys, it's been a weird couple of days round here..." Stopping above his stage, still upside down, Xigbar turns to face them. "What's wrong? You should see yer faces right now." The crowd of people whisper to each other, each trying to determine how in the world he is standing on nothing, especially while upside down. Flipping back around, he stands normally on his stage waving his hands apologetically.

"Those were strings right? Invisible platforms above our heads or something... You Circus people aren't too slick are you?" This voice comes from a middle aged man seated front and center. Obviously eager to be a buzz-kill. Good for him though, because Xigbar thoroughly enjoys people like him.

The Escape Artist smirks at the man and replies, "Yeh sorry bout that... I promise I won't use any more parlor tricks on ya. You came here to see me possibly die right?" He raises his arms to invite them to get excited. They oblige with a cheer.

Turning away from their cheers, he rolls a sealed crate on stage. Taking an axe off the hooks behind him he turns back to the crowd and leans on the crate. "You people are fuckin' sadists, ya know that, right?" At this, the crowd laughs. There's something freeing about having an 18+ show. It means you're free to say whatever you want. That... and taking souls from children is just wrong. At least in Xigbar's opinion. "In this crate is a fresh shipment of handcuffs ordered from Radiant Garden's own locksmith company. I didn't open it yet cause that'd be cheating."

"How do we know it's not open yet?" That same man chimes in from the front row. "How about you come and check, smart ass? Come on up here and demonstrate how smart ya are fer the good people down there." Xigbar motions for the man to come on stage and check the box. The man makes his rounds, touching the box and trying to find any areas that are weak or suspicious. He nods and goes back to his seat when he's finished.

"Satisfied, bucko? Aaaaanyway. Keep me company while I open this crate up." Xigbar speaks while twirling the axe in his hand. He stops and points to a woman in the second row. "Why don't you tell me about your dream vacation, hon."

She looks at him kind of flustered. Xigbar begins to swing at the box with regular intervals as he waits to hear her story. After some time she starts to share her dream, "I would love to go out with my boyfriend and my dog to the woods, and we would go hiking together at a far off place. It would be perfect weather too, and maybe we would bring a picnic bas-"

Interrupting her story with a large downward swing, and a pained yell, he looks at the crowd. The axe is planted firmly into the box, dangerously close to his wrist, and yet... his hand is gone. The people in the crowd can't help but stand up a little in their seats to get a closer look.

"Oh no. No don't stop yer story. I promise I'm still listening. It's just that uh... my hands run away from me sometimes... You have really soft hair by the way." The woman looks at her shoulder and shrieks at what she finds. His hand is laying gently on her shoulder. It disappears as quickly as it came.

Ignoring the crowd's reaction he opens up the box and begins to close the handcuffs tightly on his wrists, tossing the keys into the crowd. He steps off to the side and wheels a giant tank of water with a curtain around it onto the stage. "Here's what ya came for, right?" Holding up his wrists that now have five handcuffs on them, he announces, "I will now jump into that tank behind me, and mister sass-bucket over here," Xigbar points to the man who had questioned him before, "...He will turn the latch for me 'cause it seems like he knows what he's doin'..."

The man stands up and smiles coming onto the stage eagerly awaiting his duty. Xigbar climbs into the tank after taking a deep breath. After the hatch is shut tightly, he waits a few seconds as per routine. Building suspense is key. This whole process would be so much easier if he had an assistant. His mind goes back to the poster he had found in that alley. No. He had to stay focused. Slipping his knee behind the cuffs he begins to pry them all off. The right amount of pressure on a certain area of the handcuffs are able to snap them off. It's not an easy job, but doing this for more than ten years would make one an expert. Also, doing this under water is a whole other feat in itself.

The longer he spent in the tank, the more thoughts came rushing back to his mind. He did have an assistant... That's what that poster was about... This is why yer stuck here. This is why ya stay a little longer under the water each show ya perform. Yer jus' waitin' for the day when your lungs give out... His thoughts were making him sick. Focusing his power on the man in the front row seat that had helped him in the tank, he uses the power he has left to switch places with him. In an instant, Xigbar appears in the man's seat, watching the silhouette of this man in the tank, flailing about behind the curtain.

The crowd is still anxiously waiting for something to happen, unaware of the trick that was just performed. Slapping a drenched hand onto the person next to him, Xigbar says loudly, "Hey... uh shouldn't someone help him out?" people gasp in both awe and horror as Xigbar jumps onto the stage and pulls the curtain aside, revealing the panicking know-it-all. He smirks and laughs, a bit devilishly as he opens the latch and pulls the poor man out. He falls onto the stage coughing and sputtering. Despite the quite illegal act that had just occurred, the crowd doesn't seem to care. They all stand up and cheer, clapping until their hands are sore. They all had no idea what just happened, and they were completely entertained by the unknown. Xigbar smiles wide and bows with both arms extended. As his rings start to glow, everyone in the room stops clapping, slowly but surely. Their faces fall, and they turn to leave. They exit the tent, as if nothing ever happened. And that is the worst of it. Why be a performer, if no one will ever remember the show?


	8. Hook Line and Sinker

The redhead drew a breath, dreading the taste of Methanol. He had just hoped that he wouldn't swallow any more of it by accident. He stood in the center of the makeshift 'ring' by his tent. The chatter of voices filled the air around him, causing him to smirk. Opening night looked like it was off to a good start.

The temperature had been much more forgiving compared to earlier in the day. He sent a silent 'thank you' to the sky, a lot more eager to perform now knowing it wouldn't be so ungodly hot and humid. He had tied his hair back, as much as he could of it, anyway. It had become very unruly, but he managed.

A handful of patrons had already slowed to a stop, unsure if they wanted to enter the ring to sit. Axel had really just been standing there, not bothering to speak a word. Unsure of what he may do, they waited. He moved to pick up a small bottle, really no bigger than his thumb and brought it to his lips. Taking whatever small amount of liquid into his mouth, he closed his eyes involuntarily and tossed the bottle away. The sun finally dipped down past the horizon, making the sky darken by the minute. 

More people began to crowd outside of the ring, springing questions and whispering to one another. What was this guy doing? Just standing shirtless, completely silent like that? He flashed a toothy grin at them, opening his mouth just barely. He curled his tongue backward to keep the Methanol in place. Though it wasn't much liquid, he didn't want to risk swallowing it, or spilling it, because he hated the taste. He slipped the tip of his thumb under one of his canine teeth and added pressure to it before bringing his hand quickly out in front of him, as if he were lighting a match. A small flame sprang to life at the tip of his thumb. The group of people that had gathered at the ringside gasped. 

Axel winked, flashing another toothy grin. The group swarmed the entrance, filling a section of the seats eagerly, awaiting his next move. He brought his thumb to his face, drawing a breath. Leaning his head back a little, he exhaled, keeping his lit thumb at his mouth for a few seconds, fire began to make it's way into the air. He expelled the Methanol from his mouth as well, making the fire expand upward threefold, turning it a somewhat 'ghosted' blue color. He moved of his hands away, keeping the rising pillar of the strange blue flame suspended in the air with an added roar of laughter, at the shrieks of amazement from guests, piling into the benches by the second. With that, the flame vanished, just as quickly as it came. "Well, I mean, now that I have your attention," He finally spoke, taking a pair of dyed harakeke ropes from his belt loops. "I'm gonna show you guys something, but keep it between us, 'kay?" 

He nodded, holding up a finger as if what he was about to do truly was a secret. The crowd went quiet, leaning forward and listening close. He held a rope in each hand, both affectionately dyed red. White and orange sparks sprang to life at the ends as he flipped them into the air, making sure to keep them securely laced in his fingers. He didn't need *that* kind of accident to happen again. He shook the thought. The sparks had an almost eerie glow to them, etching their way into the air around him in strangely fluidic patterns. Axel dug his toes into the sand, appreciating the cool texture.

The ropes arched high as they spun, an impish smile tugged at his lips. He shook his head slightly at the crowd before him. He was somewhat thankful he didn't have to talk to them, they were drawn in enough. He brought the harakeke ropes down quickly to the ground, eliciting a collective gasp from the people gathered around him. Fire crackled at his feet and began seeping upward from the ground, taking the shape of two Zhulong dragons. The crowd cheered and whistled, though some shrieked in fear. They opened their jaws and let out an eerie hiss, weaving around Axel for a few seconds, as if they were being led by the ropes in his hands. 

The cheering began to slow, causing him to smirk just slightly. White and orange sparks flew off of the dragon's bodies in sporadic directions, fizzling out before actually reaching anyone in the crowd. The threads of the harakeke began to glow a strange silverish color. Axel crossed the ropes for a moment before raising both of his arms high, causing the dragons to follow. He brought them down with some force, the dragons opened their jaws once more and let out a crackly roar. An odd grey mist began to form, seeping slowly over to Axel's Harakeke ropes. The crowd rapidly began to disperse, melding back into the mass of people outside of the ring, wandering the circus grounds. He repeated the movement, sending the dragons colliding into the ground once more. In a bout of bright orange sparks and fire, they disappeared, dissolving into the sand he stood in. He grinned, shaking his head at the empty seats before him. "Hook, line, and sinker."


	9. Twisted Fate in a Jar

Aqua spent the late afternoon of the next day, staring out the window of her small apartment. She was proud of it, though it really wasn't much. She had bought the place by herself, and with her own money. It made her feel independent for once. For Terra had helped to buy or gifted her with everything else. Possibly to try and make up for... The things he does. Sitting on the windowsill, she leans her head on the glass, watching the sunset. She really wanted to visit that circus that came to town. She's seen the fliers, and yet strangely enough she didn't hear anything from anyone who went to opening night. No rumors, nothing. Not even the children at the market had anything to say. Maybe they stayed up too late and were too tired to be excited anymore. Taking a deep sigh, Aqua bites her tongue, wishing she had had the nerve to tell Terra that she wanted to go to opening night, even though he said she couldn't go at all. He thinks circus' are useless. "Wastes of time" he says. That's ok though, Aqua had plans to go tonight, after their nightly phone calls that Terra insisted on, (and became livid if they were missed). The thought made her touch her cheek... At least the swelling went down...

A small blonde boy trotted along the winding pathways of the circus grounds, slipping through the groups of people beginning to form outside of the tents. Not that it was time yet, but shows were going to start soon. His blue eyes lit up, marveling at the magic stirring in the air. His outfit choices looked a tad peculiar compared to most of the people around him, attracting bits of attention. He wore a stark white shirt under a black vest, with a broken zipper. Teeth were missing out of it, but he seemed fond of the Zipper pull, so he refused to be rid of it. His shorts stopped just above his knees, making them seem a tad small for his body. His shoes were oddly pristine compared to the rest of his clothes. His socks came to his knees evenly, matching the color of his vest. He didn't terribly mind the stares, making a stop at a sweet-smelling stand. 

He grinned eagerly at the pink-haired man behind the counter. His hair was pinned back neatly, and strangely enough, smelled of flowers despite the booth he had been running. "Can I have a Popcorn ball, please?" The boy asked, flashing a cheeky grin. He fished around in his pocket for the small amount of munny he owed, and tossed it on the counter. He bounced on his toes just slightly, awaiting his food. 

The man behind the counter lowered his neutral gaze into a glare. "What are you doing, child?" He asked, looking down at the boy, who only grinned again in return. The man reluctantly gave him the food, eyeing him carefully. The boy said his thanks, biting into the popcorn and hurrying off. 

He took his time, making his way to a specific tent. With a slight spring in his step, he finished his food. He tried in vain to run his hand through his wild hair to straighten it. Giving up, he stepped through the doorway to the tent. It was lined with rows of tables, the tops of which were completely covered in small jars and bowls. It smelled like a complete mix of things, ranging from sweets, to incense, to rain. Children really seemed to love them, as did a few handfuls of parents, and elderly folks. Roxas stopped behind a smaller brown haired boy, who had been too short to reach across the table for a jar in particular. "Oh this is a good one." Roxas reassured, taking the jar and kneeling down to show the smaller boy. He smiled widely, taking the cork stopper out of the wooden jar. 

The scent of Seawater filled the air around them, and a breeze actually followed. The child gasped, hearing the waves of the ocean, he could feel heat from the sun on his skin. They both could. Roxas chuckled, holding the jar in both hands, he sat cross legged. Everyone crowded around him as water began to bubble from inside the wooden jar. Music filled their ears. The small boy stared at the jar in Roxas' hands. "Close your eyes, Listen." He said with a nod, a small smile crept across his face as everyone did so. The Music grew louder. The ghosted feeling of water washed over him, he could feel it seeping into his clothes. He grinned, content with himself at tonight's choice. 

The child opened his eyes, a symphony of music greeted the crowds ears. They gasped and clapped, some from amazement, some from shock. Roxas now sat in the center of a circular room, entirely different from the confined tent he walked into. They collectively stood in a bed of sand. A small school of fish darted past. His vest floated on end, as did his shorts, and hair. 

"Where did the tables go? Young man?" a woman called, shocked to find she was able to speak, and walk through the room with ease. "Pretty down here, isn't it? Look." He pointed upward. The woman's thoughts were confirmed. They were underwater, at least, it looked that way. Some of the children hopped and ran, some dug their hands into the sand below them, holding their hands above them and letting it go, gasping in amazement as the sand hung suspended in the strange air. The adults marveled at the sun and bright sky through the surface of the water above them. Faint singing could be heard through the music, causing some to look around, trying to locate the source of the voice. One by one, the children sat in the sand, listening closely. 

The Adults soon followed suit, breathing a sigh of relaxation. The Pull on the broken Zipper of Roxas' vest glinted in the sunlight, causing him to grin sweetly at the children. "This song is so nice. Listen close, this is the good part." The group nodded, leaning their heads a little to the side as if it'd help them hear better. Their eyes fell closed, relaxing their bodies. A murky blue mist began to form around Roxas, drawing closer to the Zipper pull on his vest. He gave a curt nod, closing the cork lid back over the jar in his hands. The group opened their eyes, some flinched, some rubbed their eyes as if they were willing away sleep. They rose to their feet, absentmindedly feeling for their children's hands before making their way out of the cluttered tent in hollow-eyed silence. Roxas grinned, placing the wooden jar neatly back on the table.

He stepped out of his tent shortly after, patting himself on the back for his pick of the night. He moved the rope over the entrance to the door, signaling that it was closed for the night, before making his way to the circus gates for Final admissions. He spun on the chair in the ticket booth absentmindedly, making faces at the silent residents stiffly shuffling out of the grounds' gates. Shortly after he began spewing out his routine greetings to the patrons queueing at his ticket stand. Final admissions always attracted a slightly stranger crowd, compared to the regular admissions throughout the day. 

He sometimes wondered what went on during the final admission shows, and he wanted to ask Larxene, since she seemed to be the most popular but he wouldn't know what to say. He shook the thoughts from his head, picking up his routine greetings again, taking the patrons' munny in exchange for a grey ticket. People were flocking in by the masses, moreso than the night before. Occasionally he'd tell them to enjoy themselves, not that it mattered. After a while, an alarm behind the counter chimed, signaling the end of ticket sales. Roxas muttered a quiet 'thank you', having become very bored with the same mindless banter. He let out a sigh, resting his head on his hand lazily. Nothing else to do but sit here, now. It was ill-advised to wander the grounds when final performances were in progress. Not the least bit tired, Roxas stayed put.

Aqua had to sneak out of her apartment much later than she had planned. Terra's nightly phone call ran on a little longer than she expected. He kept questioning her, as if he knew that she was up to something. She shook her head and locked her apartment door behind her, as she sprinted down the stairs and out the lobby doors. Hopefully the Circus hadn't closed yet. She made her way through the diminishing crowds of people in the streets as the dark of night began to thicken. Clutching to her munny pouch, she turned the corner and slowed to a trot as she saw the Circus in the distance. Hurrying to the ticket booth, she shyly stepped up to the boy inside. No one else was around. She must be too late. "E-Excuse me...? I'm sorry to bother you... but are you closed..? I was hoping to attend a show tonight..." She was expecting him to say no, so her voice fell quiet as she looked away.

Roxas initially flinched, hearing her call out to him like that. He stared at her in silence for a few seconds, processing her request. People have come late, sure. But they weren't ever allowed in. He hadn't ever disobeyed Xemnas' rules before, that man struck fear into him in the strangest way. And yet… "W-Well..er," He spoke, eying her carefully. A girl certainly hasn't shown up late, especially to a final admission. 

"Hello, Miss." He straightened himself in the chair he sat in. "We are closed, I'm sorry." He nodded apologetically. Hearing her voice falter, he narrowed his eyes a little. Why would someone be disappointed for missing something like this? He chewed his tongue for a moment. If he really hadn't broken any rules set by Xemnas, would he really get in trouble, if he let one slide? Surely not, right? Where's the harm? 

"Wait," He nearly blurted, scrambling through drawers behind the counter. "What's one more, am I right?" He grinned widely, leaning more on the counter and holding out the grey ticket. He studied her face for a few seconds. Her hair reminded him of Saix, bringing a genuine smile to his face. And her eyes were the same color too! His breath caught in his throat, catching a glimpse of the mark on her cheek. Did she get into a fight? His stomach felt like it did a backflip. Something was telling him 'no'. "Y-Y'know what," He finally murmured, clearing his throat. 

"You take this, enjoy yourself, Miss." Roxas' cheeks turned pink. "Don't uh," He gestured to her munny pouch. "Don't worry about it!" He said cheerfully, encouraging her to go inside. "Hurry now, you'll miss the good parts!"

Aqua's face flushes, she takes the ticket with a small bow. "Th-thank you so much..." She hurries inside, taking his advice. She comes to a stop in the middle of the square, because she realizes, as she looks around, that she has no idea which tent to enter. Aqua shuffles her feet and looks at the ticket. She was having second thoughts... Maybe she shouldn't have come after all... she'll just interrupt someone's show with her lateness. A strangely accented voice breaks her thoughts. 

"Are you lost, lass?" Aqua looks up to see where the voice came from. A blond man with a goatee was standing before her in a neatly fitted pink and white checkered suit. She honestly didn't know what to say. He smiled and stepped closer to her. "It seems you're in a bit of a dilemma. You don't know which show to pick do you? Well... Lady Luck smiles on you today, lass." 

Aqua frowns at him, growing confused. "You see, I'm the resident Fortune Teller... So I know...for a fact that you'll want to attend the show in the tent behind you." He points to Larxene's tent, but quickly turns to walk away. "But you don't 'ave to follow my advice, love..." Aqua didn't know what to say, but it didn't matter, because the strange man was out of sight now. She turned to the tent he pointed to, and decided to follow his advice. Quickly and quietly, she steps through the tent's doorway, and takes a seat in the front corner of a bench, as that was the only space left. Looking around at the beautiful setup, she was strangely glad she followed the Fortune Teller's suggestion.


	10. The Savage Nymph's Act

Larxene's night had been going quite well, final admissions always seemed to net her more souls, and from what she saw, it was quite a nice turnout, leaving only one seat empty from what she could see. She decided to go a different route, outfit-wise for the night, having unhooked her top earlier on in the show. She was about twenty-five feet up in nothing but black boy shorts. She grinned to herself, making sure to work slowly.

Larxene hung from her hands, keeping the strands of cerulean fabric separated. Her back had been turned to the crowd. She silently thanked her profession for not having to actually **speak** to these people, that was a definite plus in her book. She wrapped her feet three times in each respective strand and touched her feet together. Reaching higher on the fabric, she pulled herself upward to adjust her bodyweight and lower herself into the 'foot-locks' she made. She shifted her right leg forward, going down into a split for a few seconds. The faint sound of rustling caught her attention, as if someone touched the doorway to her tent.

She let her eyes fall closed, as to keep her expression relaxed as she listened harder. A smile played at her lips. She knew it had to be nothing; there wasn't ever any movement outside when shows were in session. She'd been doing this long enough to know that. Larxene continued her work, having shifted her right leg straight out to her right side and leaned her shoulders to her left, joining her legs together. Faint music rang in her ears, causing her to push the stray thoughts of odd noises from her head. She bent her knees halfway to her chest to shift the fabric between them, all whilst turning over and upward to her right, sitting upright between the strands. She silently thanked herself for remembering to stretch between shows this time, having moved one arm higher on one strand; she pressed her back against the other.

Larxene drew a breath and exhaled slowly, opening her eyes to look out to the crowd one final time. The pendant around her neck glowered in the spotlight above her. An odd shade of color stuck out to her in the crowd, compared to the somewhat dark colors of the room itself. Sure enough, She spotted the color blue, causing her to squint a little. It was a girl. Not that it bothered her, quite a bit of females had fought to see her shows. She really took pride in that.

It wasn't the fact that the color blue caught her eye, handfuls of people wore bright colors to shows all the time. But blue **hair** was another thing entirely. Her eyes widened a little, getting a glimpse of the girl's face. Her breath caught in her throat. Surely it **couldn't** be, right? ….She was dead, wasn't she? Still, she leaned backward, taking the left strand of fabric into her left hand and pulled herself upward, simultaneously straightening her right leg and bending her left knee, effectively bringing her heel towards her butt, making an X out of the fabric across her chest. The fabric was soft, but brushing over the tattoo on her ribs always felt strange to her.

Larxene shook the thought. Keeping the fabric in place, she reached her right arm through the top of the X, taking the respective strand in that hand, and taking hold of the left strand in the other. She shifted the fabric across her back, pulling herself upward into a standing position. A light orange colored mist began to loom over the crowd before her. Her chest heaved slightly.

What should she do? Could she really **choose** who's soul to take? She'd never done that before. She inverted herself, legs doing a center split. Now hanging from her midsection, she spun, forcing her back to the crowd once again. Without thinking, she leaned her head back to expose her neck, taking her black choker by the pendant. With some force, the choker gave way, the black band of the choker breaking away from her neck entirely. She chewed her lip for a moment. The girl she knew was **dead** wasn't she? A sense of anxiousness washed over her.

Wrapping her choker around her right hand, she reached upward with her left to take hold of the left strand. She reached her right arm through, effectively turning herself right side up yet again; she lowered herself into a right split, looking wide-eyed out to the crowd, roaring with applause The pendant shimmered in the light. She blinked. The odd mist began to make its way over to her right hand. The crowd slowly began to disperse, What could she do?

The applause faded as more of the room cleared out. She brought her hand to her mouth, glancing back to the girl in the crowd. She didn't seem hollow-eyed like the rest of them. Would this really work? She wasn't certain, but she gave it a try. Biting down on the pendant with some force, she felt it crack in her teeth. Her eyes widened in horror. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but she knew it couldn't have been good.

A strange pain coursed through her chest, causing her to bite her tongue to quell her urge to cry out. She pulled herself upward with both hands, shifting her lower body to unravel the 'foot-locks' which were still in place. She slid down the fabric the rest of the way, toes finally touching the floor. Larxene put a hand to her chest to steady her breathing. She kept her free hand on the fabric to keep balance and looked down at her toes, somewhat scared to look up. They couldn't be the same person, right? Either way, she didn't want to be responsible for killing her a **second** time.

**Author's Note:**

> *Things to keep in mind as you read. This is a transcript of a roleplay between two writers in two different states. In other words, this story was written entirely over Skype. This way it gives you a refreshing new way of reading a story. I hope you enjoy as you take this wild ride we have shared for over half a year... and even still! -Phoenix
> 
> **Character designs and illustrations for future chapters can be found here sexually-frustrated-seamonster.tumblr.com/tagged/circus-au


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